The Times has just published a conversation with Adeo Ressi, who created the Founder Institute. In the conversation, Mr. Ressi reports that more than 1,000 aspiring entrepreneurs have graduated from his start-up incubator, each with a new company idea. Of those companies, about 10 percent have failed and 15 percent have gone dormant, Mr. Ressi said, while the rest are moving forward.

Those accepted by the institute must pay a fee and also give up 3.5 percent of their companies. Below, we check in with three graduates to get a sense of what they gained from their experiences. Please read the interview with Mr. Ressi as well, and give us your impression of the program.

What it does: Provides virtual assistants for entrepreneurs and small-business owners.

Revenue: “Several million dollars.”

Employees: 250 virtual assistants (contractors).

What she got out of the program: “I learned a lot of the ABC’s of start-ups and venture-backed companies. My knowledge of business beforehand had been very mom-and-pop, and Founder’s helped open my eyes to the larger world of entrepreneurship.”

What has happened since the program: “When I graduated I simply had the name, Zirtual, and a fuzzy idea of what I wanted it to become. Now it’s two and a half years later and things are going really well. We’ve gone from one to 250 assistants, we’ve raised $2 million in a series A led by Tony Hsieh,” — chief executive of Zappos — “and we’ve opened offices in New York, San Francisco and Las Vegas.”

Was it worth giving up 3.5 percent of your company? “Honestly, I think the 3.5 percent is steep, especially considering you have to pay on top of that. I did it because I knew nothing about valuations, etc., so it was good to learn. But I do think 3.5 percent and having to pay — versus getting a grant like accelerators like Techstars, Tech Wildcatters or Y Combinator do — is too much.”

Revenue: Declined to specify. Said company’s client base has grown from 500,000 students at the beginning of 2013 to 1.5 million today.

Employees: 50 in San Francisco and Turkey.

What he got out of the program: “The Founder Institute helped me build my network when I moved to the U.S. in 2008 from Turkey. I didn’t know anyone in Silicon Valley and started from scratch when I arrived. I met one of my co-founders, as well as one of our first angel investors, who was a mentor for the Founder Institute.

What has happened since the program? “After graduating from the Founder Institute’s Silicon Valley chapter in 2009, I began to look for someone to fund my project. The initial funding process was extremely difficult; we were rejected by almost 50 investors. In May 2010, I decided to launch Udemy without any funding and within two months, Udemy had over 2,000 courses and 10,000 registered students. After our initial success, I went back to investors, and this time we were able to secure $1 million in funding within one week. Udemy has raised more than $16 million.

Was it worth giving up 3.5 percent of your company? “Definitely, yes. Most start-ups fail, so the odds of success are really low in the early days. So focusing on improving your chances to succeed makes more sense than optimizing a potential outcome.”

What it did: A digital time capsule for parents and grandparents to save their digital memories for future generations.

Revenue: Closed down.

What he got out of the program: “The program gave structure to the process of taking an idea and forming it into a company from start to finish. I had access to all the documentation and support I could want, along with mentors to help form the idea into a product and business that could grow.”

What has happened since the program: “In April 2010, just a few months after I graduated, three friends and I founded a company called DODOcase, which made hand-crafted cases for the newly launched Apple iPad. President Obama has one. DODOcase grew from three people to over 30 in three years with annual revenue of over $5 million. Heirloom Vault was put on a back burner, and it eventually closed two years later, as a dormant company is expensive to maintain. I recently left DODOcase after three and a half years to work on another start-up idea with a friend. This company is Orbid Ltd., which provides marker technology that helps prevent counterfeit and diversion of watches, jewelry, pharmaceuticals and luxury goods.

Was it worth giving up 3.5 percent of your company? “For me, this was a no-brainer. Three-point-five percent of the company gave me access to the resources and help that would have made a huge difference in the success of the company if it would have gone to market. A lot of people like me come into the Founder Institute with just an idea. This idea is worth nothing without the execution to turn the idea into a business.”

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You're the Boss offers an insider's perspective on small-business ownership. It gives business owners a place where they can compare notes, ask questions, get advice, and learn from one another's mistakes. The blog also offers analysis of policy issues, and suggests investing tips.